Leonhard yorpahl and herrmann poiil



(No M o'del.)

' L. VORPAHL & H. POHL.

LOOK FOR ALBUMS wwwwdlay eo Mg 5% baa fi w abhor/mu UNITED STATES PATENT ricE.

LEONHARD VORPAIIL AND HERRMANN POIIL, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

LOOK FOR ALBUMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 559,639, dated May 5, 1896.

Application filed November 7, 1896. Serial No. 568,225. (li'o'modeL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, LEONHARD VORPAHL and HERRMANN POHL, subjects of the Emperor of Germany, residing in the city of Ben lin, in the Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for Albums, of which the following is a specification.

The locks for albums adapted to stretch and to fit the books of thicker or thinner bulk have been provided heretofore with special springs having the necessary elasticity to yield between the parts of the casing. The manufacture of such locks is naturally expensive, and the locks are liable to get out of order very easily.

The present invention has for its object to create a lock which is simple in construction, cheap in manufacture, very durable, and well adapted to keep albums closed when they are empty or when they are well filled with pictures.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the principal part of the lock, the strap, in elevation, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the strap extended. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the lock complete applied to a closed album. Fig. 4c is a side view thereof. Fig. 5 shows the spring of the lock separately. Figs. 6 and 7 represent modifications of the lock. I

In manufacturing the spring of our lock we twist wire of any suitable metal together, and after cutting suitable lengths we bend them into a convenient shape, such as represented in Figs. 1, 5, and 6. Then we place them in a press or upon an anvil and press or hammer them flat, whereby their resiliency in the plan of their sh ape is greatly increased. The letter a in the drawings designates this spring, to which we may attach a bar or slotted plate I), Fig. 6, by soldering or otherwise securing to its middle. It is evident that we can make said spring also of smooth wire; but we prefer the twisted as being more resilient and decorative. No place this spring through a hole or slot 0 into a curved metal strap d, bent of U-shaped light bars of sheet metal or having a U-shaped or similar cross-section. The ends of these straps are secured in hinges e of any known shape or construction to one of the plates f, which are ordinarily riveted upon the covers of the books or albums. The other plate f is provided with the ordinary pins g, adapted to engage into the spring of the lock.

The above-mentioned bar 6 is guided between two pins c' i, which we insert after hav ing placed the spring in its position and which we rivet into the sides of the middle part of the strap (1. The ball I) at the end of said bar limits its outward motion.

In the modification, Fig. 6, only one pin z' is pigwided, passing through the slot in the bar It will be easily understood that the springs in looks of the described construction will always have a tendency to take the position shown in Fig. 1. Of course it is necessary for such purpose that the side bars of the bent strap d are inclined so as to form an angle, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, or they may be slightly curved, as shown in the modification, Fig. 7. When the lock should be thrown over the pins g g of a very thick album, it is only necessary to give a pressure with the finger upon the ball I) or the end of the bar 1), whereby the spring is contracted, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the spring is brought over the pins g g the album will be held closed.

Having thus described our invention, we claim-- A look for albums composed of a hinged strap with slanting surfaces in combination with a spring made of twisted and flattened wire placed within said strap and bearing with its ends upon the slanting surfaces, and provided with a bar projecting from its middle, being guided by pins in the middle of the strap substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

LEONHARD VORPAHL. IIERRMANN POIIL.

IVitnesses:

EMIL VOEPAHL, ROBERT Din'rnion. 

